Helmets have really come a long way in the last few years in terms of weight and ventilation and what really struck me most about this hat is the ventilation. Even at speeds as low as 40mph I can feel my hair being blown around inside the helmet when all the vents are open. I'm sure some very complicated engineering went into making the venting system on this helmet including the spoiler thing on the back.

Most of us have been caught unprepared in wintry weather, and it made us whimper enough that we ran to procure a proper pair of mitts -- once we regained the feeling in our fingers, of course. Hands take a beating in any season, but they're especially susceptible to the harsh conditions in the winter. When temperatures drop, your extremities tend to freeze up first, potentially hampering your operation of the motorcycle's controls.

In the faster curves found on the roads of the Angeles National Forest, they were plenty stable. Steering speed, while a touch slower and heavier than other tires in this class, remains acceptably quick, without being twitchy or overly sensitive. With the 929 and its reputation for being a bit lively, a rider may find this to be an asset. Traction was abundant, and allowed regular scraping of the footpegs on the F4i. My 929 is setup not to scrape (on the street) and so while nothing touched down, it is not due to any performance shortage from the tires.

I've used the GL2068's in weather down to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit with no problems. My hands were unprotected and right out there in the breeze and not behind a fairing. I didn't notice any more air intrusion or that they were any colder than any other winter gloves, so I'm pleased with their performance. The right hand glove has a hook, and the left hand glove has a loop that allows you to connect the two together when you stow them so that they keep each other company to help prevent losing them.

Windshields come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and even shades. Most cruiser motorcycles are sold naked, but many have shield options available for an additional cost from the manufacturer. The aftermarket also teems with first-time windshields or replacements for stock units. And, although there can be countless variations on the theme, just a handful of specialized companies manufacture the bulk of shields sold in the United States.

Alt-berg is a small business that started life making walking boots but as the owners are motorcyclists they soon moved into motorcycle touring boots. The boots are constructed using walking boot technology; a Skywalk dual density sole stitched into a lined upper, with insulating insoles. The motorcycle boots though have nylon reinforcement around the heel, ankle padding, side zip opening concealing a cordura bellows, shin pad, and gear change pads. A pity they use leather.

After many 'phone calls I found a supplier of Lorica and Alt-berg agreed to make me a single pair of boots. Prices were agreed, sizes tested and two weeks later (excluding delays caused by me) I had two boots (not a pair as my feet are odd sizes) ready for collection.

Don't ask us why most cruisers don't come with tachometers. We think every motorcycle needs a tach. Perhaps the manufacturers think that, because cruisers aren't constantly trying to wring the last bit of performance out of a [motorcycle's] engine (like those sportybike types), we don't care what the engine is up to. Or maybe they think we find clutter on the handlebar so distasteful we'd rather not be bothered with how quickly the engine is spinning.